A Letter To Her
by Maeve Epans
Summary: The war was over. It was done, truly and finally done. But what happens when Maeve finally realizes that he's never coming back? What happens when she finally lets go of him? Will she be in peace, or just more sorrow? [Draco/OC]


A/N: This story I posted up on HPFF as a sort of epilogue to a series I never got off the ground, but I might pull it over here and continue it. My first ever Harry Potter OC was named Maeve Epans, a girl who's a Slytherin, but so sweet and caring and no one quite knows why she is put there. I invented her when I was twelve and to be honest, she was my only friend growing up because I moved around a bit and was friendless for many months after moving. Hopefully you all like this! R/R!

* * *

The manor was so much bigger than what she remembered it to be when she had first set foot in it six years ago. It even seemed bigger than just three and a half months ago when she was forcefully taken there with Harry, Ron, and Hermione by the Death Eaters. All the memories that the manor held for her came flooding back to her mind; the good and the bad; the past, the present, and the future. She welcomed them all, anything to get her mind off of what has been plaguing her for the last seventy-four days. She sighed.

Seventy-four days ago, the war ended. Seventy-four days ago, the man who haunted and damned her childhood was murdered by her and Harry. Seventy-four days ago, the world's nightmarish hell on earth came to an abrupt halt. Seventy-four days ago, she became engaged to the man she has been in love with since she met him. Seventy-four days ago, she became incredibly happy and smiled for the first time in months because of her engagement. Seventy-four days ago, she had a complete change in mood and became worryingly depressed. Seventy-four days ago, she lost the only blood family she had left living on the earth.

Seventy-four days ago, Maeve lost her father, of whom she had just gotten back not even three years prior to his viscious death.

Maeve Emerald Snape, soon to be Malfoy, walked through the garden of Malfoy Manor, these very thoughts racing through her head, just as they did every time she walked through the lovely maze garden of roses and exotic flowers. Which was every day, for the past fifty-nine days. She loved taking a stroll ever since Madame Pomfrey said she could start walking again and leave Hogwarts for the time being. Fifteen days in a bed, resting and taking medicine and crying, did not help the young Snape. All she had to do in that bed was think.

Exactly what she was doing now.

In her tiny hands, Maeve carassed the key in which was given to her by her father's patronus the day of his death. She had not idea what it was to or what it would open or what it would reveal to her. She did not bother to ask Lucius or Narcissa, for the looks they gave her when she had received it gave her answer enough that they did not know what the key was for. Maeve spent many hours a day thinking and carassing the key. Draco would often just watch her walk the gardens from his room's window, she could feel him stare and she would faintly smile to herself.

She felt terrible for ignoring Draco as much as she did. But she was grateful that he knew she needed time to heal from losing her only family. She would rarely smile unless she was alone or only Draco was there and he made her smile by saying something sweet or romantic or funny to her. She loved Draco with all her heart and soul, she was bloody in love with the man, but her heart pained for losing her father and so many others in such a short time-span.

Speaking of Draco, she could hear his shoes clanking along the stone path of the garden towards where she was walking. He quickly caught up to her with his long legs and long strides, gently putting an arm around her shoulders to escort her to the bridge that led them both from the gardens into another part of the manor over a small river they had going through the gardens and around the house. The river seperated the manor from the forest and the Quidditch Pitch behind the beautiful white manor.

Halfway over the bridge, Maeve noticed something shine in the corner of her eyes in the water on the forest side. She halted and turned her head, causing Draco to look at her and softly ask, "Love, what is it?"

Maeve made no attempt to reply though, as she was lost for words with what she saw. It was a shining silver lioness just standing there staring at her. Maeve could not help but to stare back.

A patronus. But who's?

She knew no one that had a lioness as a patronus, so who could it be? Maeve did not know at that moment, but she was going to find out.

Maeve put one hand on the railing and flipped over the stone, landing on her feet in the small river. She gasped slightly at the flash of pain in her legs when her feet connected with the rocks under the water. She did not even hear Draco as he called after her, "Maeve! Where are you going?!" Nor did she hear him jump and run after her in the wade-deep river water.

For she was already sprinting again towards the lioness, who was quickly running into the forest.

Maeve followed, running as fast as she could. She could even bet she was running much quicker than she had been when the Death Eaters were chasing after her. She was weaving in and out of those trees like Ron dodging spiders to get to a plate of food. She did not know why, but she needed to know who that patronus belonged to and how they found her. She had a feeling it was important, so she was going to see if her hunch was right.

She saw the lioness patronus halt just yards away, so she halted as well, only tripping over a tree branch that was laying on the ground. She fell face first, landing with an 'oomph!' and a gasp. She lifted her head up and found herself at the lioness's front paws. She looked up at her in wonder and awe. The patronus was so beautiful. Then Maeve turned her head to see what other shiny thing her eyes had caught.

Another patronus. A doe this time, though.

A gasp escaped Maeve as she recognized the doe.

"Daddy?"

The doe, in response, nodded its head and stood beside the lioness, unafraid. Maeve looked at the lioness, but could not figure out who's it was, so she pushed herself up in a sitting position and started to look up in the branches of trees to try to spot anyone. She could not see anyone, and after a year of hunting for people hiding in trees, she knew she would have seen someone by now. So she turned her head back to the oddly matched couple and felt something tugging out of her. Maeve gasped as she felt her hands heat up a bit more than average, watching as light emitted from her fingertips and formed a snake.

She did not summon her patronus.

She stared oddly at her own patronus, wondering how it had released itself. Her patronus looked up at the other two patronuses with great curiousity before hissing happily and joining them. Maeve gasped again, realizing who the lioness belonged to.

"M-m-mommy?"

It seemed as if the lioness smiled, if it could even do that, and lay before me briefly. She nuzzled her head into Maeve's shoulder and she saw something drop from her mouth. Maeve looked down for a split second to see that it was an evelope with her name written neatly on the front of it, before looking back up, only to see her patronus alone, slithering its way back to her before disappearing itself. her felt a tear slide down my cheek.

_They didn't even say goodbye._

"Maeve!" She heard Draco hit his knees beside her and wipe the tear on her cheek. "Sweetie, Love, you have to not do that. You could've seriously gotten injured even more so than you already are." He reprimended her softly before hugging her tightly. "Don't scare me again, Maeve. You're my life."

Maeve nodded in response to promise she would not do that again, sneaking the letter into her skirt pocket.

* * *

Later that night, Maeve sat in her bedroom at Malfoy Manor. Draco had gone to bed, tired from chasing his fiancee through the forest. Maeve rarely got any sleep these last couple months, hell, the last year. Tonight would be no different. When lights went out, Maeve lit a candle, still being a couple weeks underage the Ministry would be on her no matter who she is and what she had done for them, and pulled out the letter.

She traced the lettering of her name on the front and immediately knew it was from her father. She could tell his handwriting in a heartbeat. She started to feel the tears well up in her eyes as she gently tore open the envelope and read what he had to say. She had a feeling it had something to do with the key that was now in her lap.

_My Sweet Baby Girl,_

This letter is short. But do not worry, my little princess, for I do have more for you to read. Although, it is not by my hand.

I want you to know that I am very proud of you, my little angel. Your mother and I are very proud of you for what you have done and sacrificed for the world around you.

I could not say how happy I was when I was told I was going to be a father. Losing you that day of your third birthday made me change into the heartless man you had to witness for your first few years of Hogwarts. Now I see that I wish I had just told you sooner that I was your father, then maybe, I would have been able to push you on a swing like I promised you. I'm sorry I had to leave to soon, but I wanted to protect my baby girl, even if it meant my life.

Now is the part you're probably, no, I know you are most definitely, curious about.

The key my patronus gave you the day the war ended, go to Snape Manor and find that  
door. You should know the one I'm talking of, Maeve.

With your curiousity about to come to an end,

Your father

P.S. - You have made me the happiest father just by being my brave little girl. I love you.

She sighed, a tear rolling down her cheek alone. She chuckled, figuring her own dad _would_ put her in suspense and on a hunt to find out what this key was for.

Getting up out of her bed, Maeve put a light sheer robe on over her silk short pajamas. She quietly opened her door and sneaked down the hallways and into the great room, where the big fireplace was. She knew she told Draco that she would not scare him again, but she hoped she would be back before the time he would awake.

Snatching some Floo powder, Maeve clearly whispered, "Snape Manor!" Before being engulfed into the green flames. Coming out in her own great room in her own manor, she was covered in soot, but that did not bother nor phase her. She just ran through the strangely and dimly lit hallways of Snape Manor. She ran quickly, afraid that the door would somehow disappear if she did not get there soon, which she knew it would not.

She slowed down and stopped in front of the door that for the past few years, she was not allowed to enter by her father's word. She slowly pulled the key out of her robe pocket and placed it into the lock on the door. Twisting it, she smiled nervously when it clicked to signify that it was unlocked. Maeve turned the handle and pushed the door inside, and gasped at what she saw.

It was a beautiful silver and white bed chamber, with few green accents. The bed was huge, with many white and silver pillows on it with a fluffy white comforter on top. It was a four poster bed, with silver drapes hanging from it. There was a green decoration to it, but it was very thin, and it made it very sophisticated. There were a few golden vases with white roses in them, and white rose petals covered every single flat surface.

Maeve was near tears, but her breaking point was seeing two more envelopes on the bed. She ran over to the bed and nearly jumped on it. One was addressed to her, and the other one was to Draco.

Maeve picked up the one for her with the handwriting she did not recognize but knew instantly who it was from.

"Mom." She whispered, slowly opening the letter.

_My Sweet Baby Girl,_

Hello, darling. I miss you. I wish I could have been there right now. If you're getting this, it means my visions were correct. You lived to kill Voldemort. Honey, I'm so proud of you. I know you will live a happy life.

I'm sorry I could not be there, but the pregnancy was just too much. Now, don't go and start blaming yourself for this. I was weak to begin with. You see, sweetie, I was part of the original Order. One of my missions was quite dangerous, and I found myself in a battle I could not win without the help of you father. Had I known I was pregnant then, I would have never accepted what my father, your grandfather Dumbledore, had asked of me. I'm sorry I didn't get to see you grow and blossom into the bright, beautiful girl you are today as you read this.

Now, you're proably wondering how it is you have this letter if I have died. Well, sweetie, I'm a Seer. It's why you're so good with Divinations (it also helps that Sybill Trelawney is my twin, as well, I suppose.). You are very bright, and I'm so happy you're in Slytherin. Of course, I, myself, am a Gryffindor to and through, but I would have been there to support you and the Slytherins for every single Quidditch match you played in, sweetie.

Speaking of Slytherins...

Draco Malfoy, he seems to be a great catch. Albeit, I hated his father, and still do, but he has proved to be nothing like his father, except for in looks and pride, that is. But, I can see you will bare me happy and beautiful grandchildren, so I can not complain, Maevey. Do tell Narcissa that I can't wait to be in-laws with her. I miss her dreadfully more than I miss Malfoy, but that's not saying much seeing as how I miss the giant squid much more than I miss Malfoy.

But, enough about that, your wedding will be blissfully wonderful. I know your father would have been proud to walk you down that aisle himself. Yes, I knew your father was going to die and join me before he had a chance to give you over to Draco himself. So, I suppose that brings us to a whole new problem.

Who will walk you down the aisle, dear?

Well, that is totally up to you. As long as you are happy and wearing white and marrying the man you love, your wedding will be utterly beautiful. I can't wait to see it.

Now, do be a good daughter and tell my granchildren that I love them a lot. Your father loves them a lot, as well.

You are a brillaint young woman, Maeve Emerald Snape. I am proud to call you my daughter. The first time I held you in my arms, I knew you would be great. I am happy to see that you are happy.

Now, there should be another letter on the bed, give that to Draco and tell him to read it when he is alone. That's right. You may not read it with him yet.

Oh, by the way, I know you love your wedding night bed. This will be your new room to share with Draco. It's why we had to keep you out of it all these years. Do bring Draco to see it before the wedding.

I love you, darling,

Your mother, Emerald Maeve Snape

P.S. - Do tell Scorpius what a nice girl he marries when he gets here.

Maeve was smiling, laughing, and crying all at the same time. She was sad, yet extremely happy. She knew she would be happy for the rest of her life now.

Picking up the letter to Draco, Maeve quickly Flood back to Malfoy Manor and ran to Draco's room to wake him up. "Draco." She quietly said in his ear.

She heard him mumble back, "Yes, dear?"

She sighed lovingly at him, causing him to wake up, sit up and pull her down on to his lap. He noticed the smile on his fiancee's face and asked, "What's gotten you so happy, Maeve?"

As he ran his fingers through her hair, Maeve said, "I heard from Mom and Daddy." She held up his letter. "This is to you, from my mom. She left it to me when she was pregnant with me. She's a Seer, and she saw all of this happen."

Draco started to open the letter, and Maeve quickly walked out of the room. "Hey, where are you going?" she heard him call.

"Mom said not to be with you when you read it first." she answered, and waited in the hallway.

After a few minutes, she heard him beckon her back inside, where Maeve decided to go back to sitting on his lap and resting her head on his shoulder. "So, what'd Mom have to say?"

Draco just chuckled. "She said to be in for a world of craziness with you." He kissed her before she could say anything. He then continued, "Because we'll be putting the Weasleys to shame."


End file.
